Presser-foot-lifting mechanism for sewing-machines.



PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

J. M. MERRQW. PRESSER FOOT LIFTING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 18,1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET ll TTD NEYE I No. 785,069. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

J. M. MERROW.

PRESSER FOOT LIFTING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18,1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

VVITNEESEE- UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFIGE.

JOSEPH M. MERROVV, OF MERROW, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR- TO THE MERROVV MACHINE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PRESSER-FOOT-LIFTING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,069, dated March 14, 1905. Application filed. March 18, 1902. Serial No. 93,822.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OSEPH M. MERROW, of Merrow, in the county of Tolland, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presser-Foot-Lifting Mechanism for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this specification, and to the of sewing-machines are particularly designed for use with the machine shown in the drawings. The machine as illustrated is provided with peculiarly constructed and arranged stitch forming implements and actuating mechanisms for the production of overedgesewing; but the said machine is also capable of being fitted up with other stitch-forming mechanisms and combinations thereof, alsowith trimming devices, thereby enabling the production of a wide range of work upon material of widely-varied character. The present invention, however, is dependent in no sense upon any particular stitch-forming mechanism, and such mechanism is not, therefore, fully illustrated or described in connection with this present invention, excepting as it may bear relation thereto.

Briefly describing this invention, certain improvements are made in the presser-foot mechanism proper, and in addition lifting mechanism for the presser-foot is provided consisting of a rock-shaft having an arm at one end adapted to engage a collar on the presser-bar and an arm at the other end connected by suitable mechanism with a lever conveniently located for manipulation by the operator of the machine, the construction of the device being such that when the actuated end of the lever is raised the presser-foot is lifted and when released the said levcr'drops to its normal position and the .presser-foot descends, as fully set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the machine fitted up with the presserfoot-lifting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view of the machine, showing the frame in cross-section, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and showing the presser-foot-lifting mechanism in position within the said frame. Fig.3 is an end elevation, on an increased scale, of the upper portion of the machine, with the cap of the machine-head broken away to better disclose the interior. Fig. 4 illustrates the manner of supporting the operating-lever of the machine in the frame, a portion of the latter and the said lever being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the presserfoot-lifting mechanism removed from the machine-frame. Fig. 6 illustrates, detached from the machine, means for preventing the rotation of a screw-bushing through which the presser-bar reciprocates.

Like reference-numerals indicate the same parts in all the drawings. v

Referring to the drawings, the number 10 denotes the frame of, the machine; 11, the base-plate supporting and preferably formed integrally with the frame; 10, theoverhanging arm of the frame; 10", the machine head, and 12 a cap forming a separable portion of said head and secured thereto by screws 12.

The main shaft (denoted by the number 13) bears a driving-pulley l4 and a disk 15, having a crank or wrist pin 15. A link 16 connects the said crank-pin with the needle-bar 71, which latter has bearings in the cap 12 and is reciprocated by the said link upon the rotation of the main shaft. The needle-bar 17 carries the needle 19 and a peculiarlyformed looper 20.

The number 22 denotes the work-plate, 23 i a hinged extension thereof, and 25 the needleplate supported on the work-plate. Loopers 28 and 33 are provided, located, respectively, beneath and above the work-plate and adapted to coact with the needle 19 and the looper 20. The looper 28 is carried on an arm 27 and the looper 33 on an arm 34, which arms are actuated, respectively, by eccentrics 13 and 37 on the main shaft 13 through the medium of mechanisms (not shown) intermediate the said eccentrics and arms.

and utility of this invention as applied tosewing-machines, especially the machine illustrated and described.

Describing now the present invention, the reference-number 49 denotes the presser-bar, which is adapted to slide vertically in the cap 12, and 50 indicates the presser-foot, carried at the lower end of the said bar to coact with the feed-dog 42. The cap 12 is recessed or chambered, as at 12, on the side adjacent the machine-head 10", and the needle-bar 17 and the presser-bar 49 extend vertically across said chamber, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The reference-number 49 denotes a screwbushing located in the upper part of the cap 12, through which bushing the presser-bar passes centrally and is adapted to reciprocate.

Mounted upon the bar 49 within the chamber 12 is a collar 49, between which and the screw-bushing 49 there is confined a coiled spring 49, encircling the said bar and acting with a constant tendency to force the latter downward to carry the presser-foot 50 into engagement with the needle-plate 25 and the feed-dog 42, the tension of the spring 49 being controlled by the screw-bushing. The collar 49 is provided with a radially-extending arm 49, which enters a slot 12, formed vertically through the rear wall of the cap 12, the said arm and slot being for a purpose to beexplained, and in addition the said arm is made a sufliciently good fit in the slot to preclude any side play therein, and thus prevents rotation of the presser-bar 49 and foot 50.

To prevent accidental displacement of the screw-bushing 49*, means are provided for holding the same in position consisting of a screw 49, adapted to be received in the cap 12 and to push before it a plug 49, the inner end of which engages the said bushing to clamp the latter in position. To prevent the jamming of the threads of the bushing when the plug 49 is forced in contact therewith, as just mentioned, the end of the said plug is formed with threads conforming to those of the tapped hole in which the bushing is received, and the said threads of the plug are received in those of the bushing, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 6.

The reference-number 78 denotes a rockshaft located in the overhanging arm 10 and extending parallel with the main shaft 13. The rock-shaft 78 is supported in bearings lO 1O in the arm 10, and through the former of said bearings the shaft 78 projects and enters a chamber within a secondary cap 79, secured to-the rear side of the cap 12. The shaft 78 may have additional bearings in the secondary cap 79, as shown, or such bearings may be dispensed with, if desired. Within the cap 79 the shaft 78 bears an arm 79*, secured thereto, as shown in the drawings, or such arm may be formed integrally with the shaft proper. The arm 7 8 enters the before-mentioned slot 12 of the cap 12, and the end thereof lies normally just below the arm 49 in order that upon the rocking of the shaft 78 the arm 78 may be carried into contact with the arm 49 to raise the latter, the presser-bar 49, and likewise the presser-foot 50, carried by the said bar. The shaft 78 also projects through its bearing 10 to receive a rearwardly-extending arm 80, whose end is connected by a link 81 to a hand-lever 82, through the medium of which the presser-foot-lifting mechanism is actuated. The hand-lever 82 is located below the shaft 78 and is supported on a screw-stud 88, secured in the wall of the machine-frame 10, as best shown in Fig. 4. The shorter rearwardly-extending arm of the lever 82 is connected with the link 81, as just stated, and the longer arm of the said lever extends forward through an opening lO in the front wall of the machine-frame, where it can be conveniently operated. The longer arm of the handlever 82 is preferably made of sufiicient weight to overbalance the shorter arm of the said lever, also the link 81 and the lever 80, so that the natural tendency of the lever 82 is to so rock the shaft 78 as to carry the arm 7 8 downward away from the arm 49, the normal positions of the respective elements being such that the arm 7 8 shall be preferably just below or out of contact with the arm 49, as already stated. Upon raising the longer arm of the lever 82 the link 81 and the lever 80 will effect the rocking of the shaft 78 and the arm '78 to cause the raising of the presser bar and foot in the manner already described against the force of the spring 49. Upon releasing the lever 82 the latter drops, and it with the several elements which it controls return to their respective normal positions, and the spring 49 acts to force and hold the presser bar and foot downward.

While the mechanism for rocking the shaft 78 has been described with considerable minuteness, I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the particular forms and arrangement of levers shown, as other equivalent constructions could be employed; but the said arrangement shown and described may be designated as my preferred construction.

For example, the lever 80 could be arranged to extend toward the front instead of the rear of the machine, in which case the hand-lever 82 would be a lever of the second order instead of a lever of the first order.

The cap 7 9 is shown and described for the reception of the end of the shaft 7 8 and the arm 78", carried thereon; but it will be apparent that as the shaft 7 8 is fully supported in its hearings in the machine-arm 10 the said cap could be dispensed with; but the same is preferably employed to inclose the arm 7 8, also to prevent the entrance of dirt or the exit of oil through the slot 12.

The lever 82 is formed near itsforward end with an upwardly-inclined portion or bend 82, which causes the oil which may collect on the lever to drip to the lowest point thereof and into the lower portion of the frame of the machine.

It will be seen from the drawings that the end of the lever 82 projecting through the machine-frame is conveniently located at the right of the operator and, as already described,

is raised to lift the presser-foot, thus being manipulated in a most natural way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a sewing-machine, the combination with the machine-frame having an overhanging JOSEPH M. MERROW.

Witnesses:

MORTON (J. TALOOTT, ALONZO M. LUTHER. 

